As part of the Curative Education/Inclusion Studies course at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, students Laura Heinze and Kristin Kestel carried out a ten-month research project in cooperation with Naturschutz-Tierpark Görlitz e.V. and the day center of Initiative Görlitz gGmbH. Under the title "Coming together, growing together, sticking together - shaping life with humans and animals", the students planned three visits to the zoo by a group of adults with underlying mental illnesses and provided scientific support under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Martin Goldfriedrich.

"The visitors to the social therapy day center run by Lisa Vater receive support there and share their everyday lives with each other. The program on the project days provided a special framework for this togetherness," explain the students. The focus was on direct contact with the animals and was accompanied by Dr. Franziska Leonhardt in terms of zoo education, as well as being supplemented by communal meals and discussions. During walks through the zoo, the group was able to get very close to the alpacas and especially "Shrek", who was sponsored by the day center. The zoo also provided access to many other animals. For example, zebra mongooses were fed, stables mucked out and dwarf donkeys groomed. This enabled research to be carried out into the influence animals can have on the interaction of people with underlying mental illnesses.

An increase in interaction was observed on various levels. For example, through conversations with and about the animals, being active together in a variety of ways, supporting each other, but also lots of laughter. These results make it clear that animals can build bridges between people and make a valuable contribution to human well-being and togetherness. This is also shown by the reactions of the participants at the day center. They report great joy during the project days and are sure to pay a visit or two to their sponsored alpaca "Shrek". In this way, the project will be continued.

At the project presentation at the university, Kristin Kestel and Laura Heinze were delighted with the presence of all cooperation partners and came to the conclusion: " The project has succeeded in enabling and shaping inclusion - and thus the social participation of people with disabilities as an essential goal of the work of curative educators."